Kids must be taught difference between needs and wants

TIRED of your kids whingeing, throwing tantrums and being way too demanding?

Kids act like this when we give them too much. Today we have challenges our parents didn’t face. We have kids wanting their own phones, unlimited internet access, holidays, toys, fashion, outings. It doesn’t really matter whether the child is three or 13. They all wish for things they don’t have.

As parents, their guilting often works and we feel bad they are missing out. Well, do you know what? Kids today have too much stuff.

Today generally both parents work to make ends meet and to be able to “survive”, we often say. But what we think of as “surviving” differs to our own parents’ definition.

Then it’s a whole different level again to much more than their grandparents did and if we go back one more generation survival was the aim. So you, as parents, have challenges your parents never had.

The challenge starts with working out the difference between providing and giving your kids what they need, not what they want.

There is a big difference. The latter, focusing on meeting their every want, will lead to their dissatisfaction with what they do have.

They will never be satisfied. It will lead to whingeing, crying, tantrums and ungratefulness. We then see these behaviours and do not generally like what we see.

Well it’s time you took back control. We are the bosses, Mums and Dads. Sometimes our kids need to be reminded of this. So stop arguing back when they are tantruming ( no matter the age).

Take away toys, take away privileges and let them see you mean business and they won’t get away with such behaviour.

It will not make you feel guilty or sorry for them and don’t buy whatever they are demanding. Leave that toy or clothing item on the shelf. Start reducing the amount they have and you will soon see satisfaction and gratefulness appear in your child.

Focus on giving only what they need.